This invention relates to a method of separating 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene from a mixture containing 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene and its structural isomers.
2,6-Diisopropylnaphthalene (hereinafter referred to as 2,6-isomer) which is an important raw material for the production of polyesters can be obtained by reaction of naphthalene with propylene. Since the reaction produces a number of diisopropylnaphthalenes such as 1,3-, 1,7-, 1,4-, 2,6-, 2,7- and 1,6-isomers, it is necessary to separate the 2,6-isomer from the isomeric mixture. No effective, industrially applicable methods are, however, known for the separation of the 2,6-isomer.